On 8 December, the business daily Vedomosti held a round table dedicated to discussing the “ship or pay” mechanism and its impact on the development of rail freight transportation. One of the key speakers at the event was Sergey Valeryevich Rumyantsev, CEO of JSC “Institute for Transport Economics and Development” (IEDT).
Participants—including representatives of federal authorities, mining companies, transport and logistics operators, analytical centers, and the media—discussed the draft amendments proposed by the Ministry of Transport to the Charter of Railway Transport, which envisage the voluntary application of the “ship or pay” principle in contracts between shippers and Russian Railways (RZD).
The discussion examined the risks and benefits of the new model, including its impact on equal access to infrastructure, the potential increase in predictability of network utilization, and prospects for attracting additional freight volumes. Special attention was paid to the key question of whether the mechanism will stimulate infrastructure development or create barriers for companies with seasonal demand.
Photo: Dasha Merts